The National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova expresses its concern about the rise in the electricity and gas tariffs for end-users and calls on the senior administration to immediately take measures to offset the galloping prices. It also asks the National Agency for Energy Regulation to reexamine its decisions to increase the tariffs, IPN reports, quoting a statement of the Confederation.
According to the statement, the Moldovan people’s purchasing power is one of the lowest in the world. The average monthly incomes in Moldova are lower than €88 per person. 64.5% of the employees are on low and median salaries. 92% of the pensioners have a pension lower than 1,500 lei, while the average pension per country covers only 74% of the minimum subsistence level.
The natural gas charges for end-users were already increased by 2% on January 1, 2015, when the VAT was raised from 6% in 2004 to 8%. The trade unions suggested decreasing the VAT to 4%, but the Government and Parliament didn’t accept such a proposal.
The statement also says that the rise in tariffs, even the slightest one, will generate new price prices, including among goods and services. Therefore, the Confederation calls upon the Government, Parliament and the President to work out and implement a series of measures to financially support the population by paying compensations for electricity and gas equal to the tariff rise. To avoid social tensions, the Confederation suggests immediately indexing the salaries, benefits and pensions.
